NEW ORLEANS – Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) won a presidential straw poll Saturday at the Republican Leadership Conference (RLC), besting heart surgeon Dr. Ben Carson by just under one percent.
Cruz got 30.3% of the votes at the three-day event that concludes at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, while Carson got 29.4%. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was third (10.4%), former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was fourth (5.1%), and Texas Governor Rick Perry was fifth (4.9%).
Over 1,500 delegates attended this year’s RLC, and more than 35 percent of those attending voted in the straw poll, sponsored by ConservativeIntel.com.
Both Cruz and Perry were speakers at the RLC conference this year. Others who made remarks this year were: Gov. Bobby Jindal, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, Donald Trump, Phil Bryant, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Allen West, Frmr Gov. Haley Barbour, Frmr Speaker Newt Gingrich, Frmr Gov. Sarah Palin, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN), and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI).
CONSERVATIVE INTEL / R.L.C. 2014 PRESIDENTIAL STRAW POLL RESULTS:
1. TED CRUZ – 30.3%
2. BEN CARSON – 29.4%
3. RAND PAUL – 10.4%
4. MIKE HUCKABEE – 5.1%
5. RICK PERRY – 4.9%
TOP WRITE-IN – CURT CLAWSON 4.6%